The Saskatchewan LEGO Users Group (or SLUG) enjoyed their annual BRICKSPO this past weekend, and builder Taylor whipped up quite the fortified creation for the show. The Emerald Keep is a citadel of epic proportions, sporting light gray walls and sand green roofs. The builder doesn’t shy away from angled walls either, creating interesting and unique angles throughout the construction. I also like the wooden door to the left side of the structure, no doubt concealing a boat launch of some kind. It’s a great feature, and one that doesn’t make it into every castle creation. But I’m sure you’d like to see some more details, right? Well read on, my friend!

The front gate’s shape is an intriguing choice, opting for a wider entryway instead of the typical multi-story portal and portcullis. It absolutely fits well with the model, but differs from the normal LEGO castle construction. The flowerbeds, with their curved edges, are a wonderful touch, as is the splash of nougat used in the stairs. But that stone arch above the gate is so brilliantly simple! Hold on, I need to take some notes…

Moving up to the right side of the fortress, here’s a shot peering in above the ramparts. I love the catapult nestled in the top of the tower on the far right. But this view also treats us to the gorgeous color scheme in all its glory! Doing the LEGO Forestmen faction proud, the palette utilizes dark green, sand green, dark brown, and medium nougat for the non-stone aspects of the build. The striping on these features helps to break up the monotony of the light gray walls, although those are also broken up occasionally on the crenellations with sand blue and dark gray.

Shifting left, we can admire some of the gold trim added via chains to the underside of some of the stone arches. And we can also appreciate the shingling on the sand green roofs, created by partially-attaching 1×2 tile to a plate. The final bit of design prowess worth pointing out from this vantage is the Forestmen logos (the elk on a field of green) on the walls and banners. Those aren’t stickers, people! Make sure to flip through Taylor’s photostream to see even more details in the build and some shots from BRICKSPO.